Posted: 12/07/2016 at 5:03am
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5 Hot Spots for Global Revival
December 2016 by Che Ahn, Pasadena, CA
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I
will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters
shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men
shall see visions. (Joel 2:28)
If you watch the news, you may have the perspective that the world
is experiencing suffering, pain and warfare. Those realities are
certainly true, but I want to point out a different reality that is
expanding rapidly on the earth: the reality of the Kingdom of God.
Nations that have previously been totally unreached with the Gospel
of Jesus Christ are exploding with church growth. I've had the privilege
and honor of visiting these countries to minister, and I have seen the
desire and the passion that people have for God. They are
willing to stand for hours, travel for days, and gather in tight crowds
to hear the Word of God because they are hungry for truth, freedom and
the love of God. And He is responding by touching hearts and revealing
truth to millions of men, women and children who are being set free, all
over the world.
There are 5 "hot spots" I want to highlight, where the Church is
growing exponentially. Hundreds of thousands are being touched with the
glory of God, and we are seeing the beginnings of a global harvest. It's
no coincidence that all five of these countries are ranked in the top
ten largest countries in the world by population. God is touching every
nation through people and societies with reach and influence.
1. China
China
has a population of over one billion people, a rapidly expanding
economy, and a role as a major exporter of global goods. It also has one
of the fastest growing churches in the world. Twenty percent of the
governing political party is born-again, permeating the very fabric of
society with the values of the Gospel. (Photo of Beijing, China)
I recently arrived home from a trip to Beijing and Shanghai, where I
frequently visit to minister and train leaders. God called me to China
over forty years ago in a vision, so I have carried this country on my
heart for most of my life. It has been amazing to see the transformation
and rapid growth of the Church and to see leaders rise up to empower
the next generation.
Recently, a shift in perspective towards Christianity as
beneficial to the economy has resulted in an increasing openness to the
Gospel, although persecution still exists. As WLI (Wagner
Leadership Institute) China, we are able to touch thousands upon
thousands of Chinese Believers through education and training Chinese
leadership.
Please pray for Believers who are experiencing persecution in the form of economic and vocational marginalization.
2. India
India is the second largest populated nation in the world, next to
China. It is a nation of incredible range and diversity of religion,
language and ethnic makeup, with approximately 2,300 ethnic groups
considering difference in religion, cultural makeup and economic status.
India is another nation God has called me to serve, and HIM (Harvest
International Ministry) has a significant presence in this nation.
I
want to highlight one incredibly courageous mover and shaker, Leanna
Cinquanta, who is a member of HIM, a catalyzer of faith, and a leader of
a major apostolic movement in India. The vision is that by the year
2020, India would be 20% Christian, which would mean well over 200
million born-again Believers, considering the current population is over
one billion people. As of now, the movement has grown to 25,000
churches. (Photo via Che Ahn)
Leanna is a leader who has unlocked a major key in seeing rapid, indigenous Church growth: she pours into local church leaders and empowers them to lead and pastor movements.
The results have been astounding, and extremely effective. Right now,
for example, their ministry has made major inroads into alleviating
injustice in Northern India. The captives are being set free, and God is
moving in bringing justice to this nation. Isaiah 61:1 says:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he
has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to
proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed.
Truly, we are seeing the fulfillment of this prophecy in India!
Please pray for Leanna, as she carries major influence in this
nation. Pray also for laborers to be sent to the harvest; there is a
great need there for ministry and service to the growing number of
Believers and churches.
3. Brazil
My
spiritual mentor and father, Peter Wagner, believed that Brazil would
be the first nation where the majority of the population is born-again.
Right now, 40% of people in Brazil are authentic Believers in Christ.
Brazil is in the midst of revival! Recently, I went to Sao Paulo with
Shawn Bolz and Rabbi Jason Sobel (both members of HIM) and ministered at
a church pastored by a third generation Japanese-Brazilian. At 20,000
members, this church was considered small; in Brazil it is not uncommon
to find churches of 25,000-75,000 people! (Photo via Che Ahn)
Biblically and historically, there are three recognizable
signs of revival: first, awakening in the Church, where Believers repent
and turn to their first love; second, unbelievers get saved in massive
numbers; and third, reformation of society takes place, for example with
the Second Great Awakening in America. Brazil is currently in the
second stage of revival: unbelievers are getting saved, but they have
yet to enter the transformative third stage.
Please pray for the discipleship of all new Believers, and for leaders to rise up in integrity in the Brazilian Church.
4. Nigeria
God is moving powerfully all throughout the continent of Africa. We
are seeing miraculous transformation take place in Kenya with HIM; and
in Mozambique, Heidi Baker has seen 25,000 churches planted, along with
signs, wonders and miracles. But one nation I want to highlight is
Nigeria, particularly a Nigerian apostolic network called the Redeemed Church of God. Just to give you an idea of their size and reach, every year they host a gathering in Lagos, Nigeria with 4-5 million people!
This
incredible church-planting network has started 2,000 churches in the
U.S. alone, and has penetrated nations all over Europe and the rest of
the world with the Gospel. They lead the largest church in the United
Kingdom with 15,000 people. Although the majority of members are
Nigerian, they are reaching out and penetrating diverse communities with
their radical devotion and worship of God. Many Nigerian football
players and basketball players are coming into Europe and evangelizing
those around them. I believe that these Nigerian churches may be the
answer to apathy and lack of passion in what was once a vibrant
Christian community. (Photo via Che Ahn)
Please pray for Nigerian churches to effectively impact surrounding communities with the message of the Kingdom of God.
5. Indonesia
Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim nation by population, but
the majority of adherents in this country are not intensely devout or
educated about Islam, providing fertile ground for the Gospel. The
Church is exploding in this nation, and over 20% of Indonesia is now
born-again. Indonesians are Spirit-filled Believers, hungry for God and
for the power of prayer.
Many of you know that I have been involved with TheCall (massive
prayer gatherings aimed at transforming society and culture) with Lou
Engle for many years. When we hosted TheCall Indonesia, we had to rent
out six soccer stadiums just to accommodate all the attendees.
Furthermore, the entire event was paid for in advance by generous
businessmen and donors who saw the necessity and the power of corporate
prayer in their nation. With the exception of AzusaNow in April of this
year, it was the only event with TheCall that was entirely paid off
before the date of the event. I am excited about the prospect of radical
prayer rising up from a nation that is known to many as "the largest
Muslim nation in the world."
Please pray for Indonesia, specifically for the Christians
in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. For the first time in history, the
governor of Jakarta is a Spirit-filled Believer. However, he
has been falsely accused of saying something to desecrate the Quran, and
as a result, people are rioting and asking for his removal. Pray for
protection, peace and for the strengthening of the Indonesian Church in
the midst of trial.
God is Moving
When we consider how God is moving on the earth today, in many
nations that were once totally unreached with the Gospel, we can't help
but be expectant and hungry for what's to come. I believe that the
global Bride of Christ is walking into a fullness of identity and power
in the Holy Spirit like never before. As I witness what is
happening in these five "hot spots" for revival, I am continuing to
contend for an invasion of Heaven on earth in the United States as well.
I am expectant that this wave of Revival will result in reformation and
transformation like nothing we've ever seen before.
And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 40:5)
Go deeper! I believe that feeding yourself with testimonies of God's
power, faithfulness and goodness is key to staying in a place of hunger
for revival in our own nation. (To Subscribe to the Elijah List go here.)
Che Ahn
HRock Church
Email: info@hrockchurch.com
Website: www.hrockchurch.com
Ché Ahn and his wife, Sue,
are the Founding Pastors of HRock Church in Pasadena, California. Ché
serves as the Founder and President of Harvest International Ministry
(HIM) and the International Chancellor of Wagner Leadership Institute
(WLI). With a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Fuller
Theological Seminary, he has played a key role in many strategic
outreaches on local, national and international levels. He has written
more than a dozen books and travels extensively throughout the world,
bringing apostolic insight with an impartation of renewal, healing and
evangelism. Source: Elijah List: http://elijahlist.com/
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